1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to computers.
2. Prior Art
Kiosks are commonly used for providing a variety of services, including financial, telephone, and information services. The most common type of kiosk is the ATM, which is a large, expensive, and immobile machine. An example of an ATM is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,179,723 to Spencer. Although smaller kiosks are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,118,860 to Hillson et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,732,398 to Tagawa; U.S. Pat. No. 4,902,881 to Janku; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,247,759 to Yuris et al., they are still quite large and expensive. Other kiosks disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,078,848 to Bernstein et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,602,905 to Mettke are comprised of conventional personal computers inside specially designed cabinets. Suitable locations for installation of the smaller conventional kiosks are limited because they are still relatively large and cumbersome. Also, their conventional keyboards and mice input devices are too fragile for environments where they may be subject to abuse and vandalism. Further, a typical kiosk is dedicated to performing a single function, such as dispensing cash, providing Internet access, etc. The market for a dedicated kiosk is thus limited.
The objects of the present touch screen information system are:
to be small enough for wall mounting at a variety of locations;
to be rugged enough to resist abuse and vandalism;
to provide a touch screen with audio feedback;
to enable voice communication with a remote party;
to enable Internet browsing;
to enable making payment for services;
to record an image of the user and upload it to a server;
to print a receipt for financial transactions; and
to be easily installable with different software for performing different functions.
A wall-mounted touch screen information system is comprised of a rugged housing with a hinged front cover. The housing is compact enough for wall mounting. A single board computer inside the housing is connected to a touch screen, a CCD camera, a card reader, and a spool printer attached to the front cover. A telephone handset is supported in a cradle attached to the side of the housing. The handset is connected to audio ports on the single board computer by an armored cable. A modem and Ethernet are provided on the single board computer for voice and network communications. A CD drive connected to the single board computer enables different software to be installed for performing a variety of communication, information retrieval, and financial functions. All the external components of the system are made of materials strong enough to withstand abuse and vandalism.